Archer City

Established as the Archer County seat in 1881, the town in its early years was a retail and shipping center for area ranches. It remains a retail center for the county. Agriculture includes ranching, plus wheat and dairy farming. Shallow oil wells drilled in 1920s still contribute to area economy.

Outdoor recreation includes a city park with swimming, picnicking and RV hookups. Hunters find dove, wild turkey, quail and deer in season.

Booked Up Inc. bookstore offers the largest collection of antiquarian books in the U.S., gathered by native son Larry McMurtry, author of the popular novel, Lonesome Dove. It includes rare and unusual books, as well as out-of-print publications. The store is in renovated buildings on both sides of Main Street. Call 940/574-2511.

The city is the backdrop for two movies based on novels written by McMurtry: The Last Picture Show filmed in 1971 and Texasville in 1989.